Completed [Tine's Exotic Goods] Did somebody lose a bird?(Imass)

[Yonega]

The woman gave a squawk of surprise that wasn't unlike the caws of her animal form and hopped back nimbly once more. Her face face contorted briefly in that moment, a snippet of pain dancing across her youthful features and one foot lifting in the process. The girl looked away from him fully for the first time and hunkered down into a perched position, balancing deftly upon one leg as she contorted her other to look at the bottom of her right foot.

"Ouch, that hurt. It's not like my cage. There's no tacks sticking out there, or nails, or splinters. Just smooth wire and lots of perches and a hard shelf and my water and my food and I hope it doesn't get infected..."

She was looking at a cut on her sole, a nail that had been caught briefly when she jumped back. It did not seem to really bother the girl yet, though, only a kind of fascinated surprise at the sight of the crimson droplet rising from where she'd been cut. Finally, however, the bird-like maiden looked back up to the now harsher man and canted her head in that comical way, regarding him carefully. "Uhm, I don't understand what you mean, mister. What's payment?" She continued in the hastened speech, more like a rodent than a bird might, methodically answering her own question as she went. "Oh, you mean those funny flat circles I see the handlers trade sometimes if one of the others has done something worth noticing. I think they called it a bet. But that's not what you want, is it. You don't want a bet, you want 'payment'. I don't have any of those funny flat circles, mister, but I'm a good helper! Are you hurt? Maybe I can make you better?" This latter seemed unlikely given the absence of clothing and any other object on the Kelvic. Mending an injury was not exactly doable.

"I've never been asked what I can give to someone else. The others think I'm too talkative and the handlers too. I thought I heard them joking that I must have a mouse for brains, but I know that's not true because mice aren't that intelligent and I can count and sing and I see all kinds of stuff. Like that kid there." She pointed uninhibited at the boy at the top of the dock behind Garron who was staring open-mouthed at the scene occurring below. "He looks pretty scared. Maybe you should put your sword away. I'm not gonna hurt anyone and I'd really like it if you didn't hurt me. Uh oh, I think he might scream." Yonega was staring fixedly at the child now, younger than she, clothed for certain, and filthier by far. A street rat most likely who happened to catch sight of the wrong thing at the wrong time and looked like he might call for the guards.

[Imass]

The female hunkered down in what seemed to be a perching position. The Akalak found her behavoir extremely strange, however it did not shock him in one bit because she was a bird kelvic. In fact, Garonn found it borderline comical that the kelvic also acted as a bird in her human form. The flurry of words began back up again, this time even faster than before. In all her fast talking, the Knight understood that she somehow hurt herself and could not totally grasp the concepts that he was talking about. Regardless though, the knight took mental note that she was very observant. The kelvic obviously had no idea what the petch she was saying, but she seemed willing.

She suddenly began on a ran about talking and mice and some other stuff the Akalak couldn't analyize quiet readily. His drunken mind was in swirls now and he did not even know where to start with her. He could feel that dealing with this kelvic would become increasingly difficult. Suddenly she pointed at a young boy behind the Akalak. Flipping his hips, he kept the kelvic in one eye and the boy in another.

In the most monomous voice possible, Garonn tried not to sound drunk, "Here is a gold piece boy, walk away and never speak a word of this to anyone." Garonn reached into his pocket and tossed the coin to the kid. To make sure the child understood that he meant no harm, the Akalak sheathed his weapon and nodded at the boy. He did not try to scare him, but he stared in hopes the boy would just leave. Finally, after an awkward moment the boy left silently.

Garonn turned back to the naked kelvic, "Maybe you are starting to understand what I am saying now. I gave the boy money and he left us alone. He can use that money to buy goods and services. If I did NOT give him the gold, he would have NO motivation to leave us alone,"

The Akalak rested his hand on the pommel of his sword, "We can talk about other stuff later, but you need to understand the risk I have placed on my head by associating with you. All over this city there are people invested in taking your freedom. People will fight and draw blood for a chance to take away your liberty. To them, your greatest value is the money you fetch from being sold as a slave!"

Now Garonn would continue on his on rant, "I do not believe in using force to take someone's freedom away. I do not believe that sentient creatures are property. Because of this, I thus far find no value in you. Putting my life on the line and fighting to protect you will offer me no innate reward. Do you understand?"

[Yonega]

The shifter watched this exchange with pure fascination, her head tilting the other way only for a hand to rise and brush her bangs away in almost frustration. The boy appeared to take the tossed coin and without so much as a word in argument or agreement, left. He'd done nothing and said nothing, he just...took the coin and left. This seemed very unusual to Yonega and she tilted her head again, thinking on it deeply as the blue-man tried to explain what the exchange was truly about.

"You didn't give him the money for nothing..." She echoed, searching for understanding and a memory that might be associated with such. The closest that she came to was how the miza's sometimes changed hands between the guards she'd seen and then the one the coin was given to took the place of the other. One covered the others shift for more money."He earned it. Oh, I get it. He did you a favor by not screaming or calling for the guards and stuff and you paid him. Does that make him a colleague?" Some of the enthuasiastic speech was starting to wane at last, it seemed, and the teen rose back into a standing position that looked less flighty than the perch/hunker she'd been in a moment before.

"No, that's not right. You bribed him. I get it, now. He keeps quiet, nothing bad happens. If he squawks, something bad might happen. But I don't think it'd happen to him. I don't really want to go back to the researchers, mister. They like to do unkind things. I'd much rather be safe than with them. But the more you talk the more I think you mightn't be safe to be around. But you already said you're not gonna hurt me so I guess it's not me that I should be concerned about, but your own safety, yes?" The Kelvic stopped and took another of those big breaths, but hesitated as she watched him, head tilting in that bird like fashion once again.

She was beginning to understand a little better now...Perhaps Cosmo had found a way to free her, but he'd said he hadn't had enough money to do that. Maybe something had happened when the darkness came before the handler reached the stage. And now, this one too seemed keenly fixated on money. What a valueless thing this money appeared to be. What use could she possibly find in it other than in buying this mans protection until she could find her way back to the boat and the man thereupon. Yonega took a slower breath this time and lowered her eyes thoughtfully.

"I need help. I'm not entirely certain about what sort of help I need, but I know I don't want to go back to that place. Maybe it really does involve some kind of protection, which you say you offer for a price. But I don't have money, mister. And my knowledge is kinda limited. It's not my fault, though! The handlers and cage and aviary is all I've known and experienced in depth. I can do a good patch if you hurt yourself! Maybe not the most effective, thing, but you won't die from it, I think. Stuff's kinda...limited to what I could take from the researchers and the cage and the aviary and the other birds and sometimes the others themselves and well, I don't know where else to go...So I don't know really what you want from me or what value you can assume. They said I was worth 300, whatever that means. But I'm smart, mister...please. Just, help me until I can go find that man and that boat. Please? I won't be a nuisance, I promise."

[Imass]

Garonn watched the kelvic talk and talk. Listening to the naked woman just speak her mind was somewhat reassuring to the Akalak. His whole time in the city, every single human he had talked to had either lied, couarsed, or tried to bullshyke him. Garonn hated that above everything: piece of shyke liars who tried to use him and piss in his face. This kelvic was different though. She laid everything out on the table which was innately dangerous, but he liked her for it anyways. According to everything she was saying, her inexperience was prevalent, but she seemed smart enough to figure stuff out. The drunk was not in a state of mind to respond to everything she just said, but he got the jist of it.

"I know you have no money," Garonn said with a grim face, "but I like you and your attitude. I will give you the help that you want. I will protect you from people trying to use force to steal your freedom,"

The Knights clenched the pommel of his sword and stared at it for a moment, "Freedom is not free. We will have to earn your freedom together. You need to do just as much work, if not more work than me. I will help you, but in return for my services you must work for me for until the end of Summer. Is that something that would interest you? If it is...then I will protect you for free for a sun's turn until we can create a contract that is suitible for the arrangement,"

Staring back the kelvic, the Knight was serious, stoic, and ugly. His scorched face was now revealed more clearly as clouds moved from view, "Do you understand? If not just speak up."

[Yonega]

The Kelvic listened and watched calmly, absorbing what the drunkard was saying as well as she could. Her eyes would flit away from him from time to time as something drew her focus, but always they returned. It seemed the unnamed one was offering, if nothing else, an opportunity. It was better than nothing.

"Until the end of summer." She echoed, canting her head side to side once more and looking up at him."Can I go look for that man on the boat sometimes? I really need to make sure he's okay; I would be really upset if he was hurt because of me. Will that be alright? I'll do whatever other work you want me to do and I'll do it as well as I can. Just show me how to do it and I'll do it."

The girl grinned then, that youthful face lighting up. "My name's Yonega. What's yours?"

[Imass]

Garonn looked on at the naked kelvic, who acted like a bird even in her human form. She seemed to agree to the Knight's terms as long as she could look for 'that man on the boat'. She then introduced herself readily as Yonega. The Akalak responded in the same heavy tone as before, "I am known as Garonn and of course you can go look for this so called man! Don't you understand-- I am going to protect your right to freedom. Freedom means you need to make your own choices -- when you are not working of course," he remembered to say the last part so that Yonega would not confuse freedom with a free ride. She was no noble-woman and would have to work for her living if she wanted to live in the city and not the wildlands.

The Knight paused and looked up at the soft white clouds blowing by. Everything was calm right now, but Garonn knew that the moment he walked out of that alley everything would go into chaos. The people Yonega ran away from would come hunting for her and others too no doubt. Maybe they would not come immedately, but the Akalak was willing to bet that a conflict would arise sooner rather than later. Paranoia began to fill his mind and suddenly Garonn decided that they had spent way too long in the alley.

"It is time to go Yonega. We have spent too much time in this alley and it is starting to get suspicious," the Knight said as he flipped his hips around to scan the Plaza of Dark delights. He was paranoid, but he wasn't in the greatest state of mind either. On the far side of the plaza came of pair of armed guards in blue suits. Garonn made a mental note of them. Walking into one of the near by brothels was an Ebonstryfe. All around people and prostitutes walked, though none were paying any particular attention to the alley. Holding his hand out, he motioned for Yonega to come closer to him, "The danger starts now Yonega. Remember that from this moment onward your freedom is at stake. By now the people who you ran away from have sent swords to find you. Any person in this city can give you identity away. I suggest that you follow me immediately,"

Stepping out of the alley, the Knight walked back towards Tine's with Yonega at his side. Now in the open, several random citizens turned their head to look at the naked girl. The Knight could feel their gaze on her, for these regulars have never seen her out prostituting before. Four strides later, the two of them entered the shop. Garonn let Yonega walk in first as he looked over his shoulders to make sure that the guards did not follow them.

The merchant Tine greeted them with a rotten smile, "Ahhhh, welcome to my game, would you like to play?" His eyes danced from the naked kelvic, to the large blue man, then back to the naked girl. He seemed amused at the scene. Lucky for the pair, no other customers were in the store. The Knight closed the door behind him, "I don't play games Tine -- quick --" Garonn pushed himself through the clutter of miscellaneous stuff, through Yonega, and up to the end of the store, "This woman needs clothes, you must have something in that warehouse you can sell to me, I am in a hurry Tine and I have gold,"

The merchant laughed and walked into the back leaving Yonega and Garonn some down time to look around the shop.

[Yonega]

Yonega hurried up to the knight, stepping close beside him and giving the daylit 'roadway' ahead an uneasy stare. They were going back out there, she understood this, but she did not like it, and a shudder ran through the Kelvic in response.

"Close quarters make me nervous, do we have to go around all those people?" It was the least she'd said the entire time since Shifting, her dark eyes squinting distrustfully at the figures that passed even as Garonn mad his way forth into the throng. Her eyes followed the flicker of the blue-mans now, watching the guard that entered a den of delights and the whores that lingered openly in the streets. Their messy hair and painted faces were strange to the younger one, an abnormality she thought might be contagious. Were they frought with plague or some equally unpleasant disease? Perhaps they should see a doctor!

But Garonn was leading her into the shop they'd been standing outside before, her eyes flicking to the sign in a vain attempt to read it. Whatever it said, however, was beyond her, the letters alien. Before the door closed completely on the musty shop, Yonega spared a glance back over her shoulder. She could see a rather ragged matron talking low to one of the armed ones in blue suits. Her head tilted and she was about to say something but the door had clicked shut first, cutting off her sight and thus her train of thought. The changling turned her eyes to the shop instead.

While Garonn addressed the shopkeep, she addressed the rest and was attracted immediately to the vast array of masks the owner had. They were all shapes and sizes and colors, some with feathers and some with beads, some with dark stones and others with...

"Hey look!" She almost cawed, hopping away from the Akalak nimbly to take hold of a striking blue and gold beaded mask with stunning stretches of feathers. They looked like plumes that came from some of the parrot-type Kelvics she had known, wily birds with as much talk as her, and sometimes more. The teen held the mask carefully, tilting it this way and that and then turning it around to look at the plainer inside where ones face would rest. There was a simple leather band that could be tightened to ones head with a bead hanging and the temptation to try it on was more than the woman could resist. She slipped the leather over her head and held the mask in place with both hands, peering through the eyeholes towards her newfound defender.

"Hey Garonn! Lookit!" She said excitedly, hurrying back to him just as he finished speaking with the owner, Tine. "It's so shiny and sparkly! Kinda looks like the fish I've had sometimes. Smell's worse though, haha!" Her eyes drifted past him to the door again, her head tilting in that curious way once more and letting the mask fall down around her neck instead. She thought she'd heard footfalls just outside, but it could've been the vague and muffled echo of Tine searching in the expansive warehouse behind the shop itself. "D'you hear that?"

A shadow fell at the bottom of the doors crack. Was it a customer?

[Imass]

Garonn flipped his hips when Yonega mentioned a noise. Someone was at the door. Paranoia and fear filled his mind all in one moment; it felt like he got hit in the head with a brick. There was no time to think, only act. Bounding through the small store, the knight reached the door just in time to slam the door shut on two men trying to enter.

Leaning on the door, Garonn shouted, "Me and my lady shop alone -- get the petch out of here!" His pupils were visually vibrating and his eyes were wide-red. He stared at the kelvic. Perhaps Yonega didn't understand why he was so paranoid right now, but she would learn soon enough. The shadows under the door began to pound on the door and yell for Garonn to open it. The Knight drew his dagger, "PETCH OFF!" They only knocked harder and the tension in the room grew, "I said me and my lady shop alone!"

Tine appeared from the warehouse with a bundle of clothes in his arms, "What is this? What are you doing?" the merchant said with a frown as he saw the Akalak holding the door. Tine's guards appeared from behind him. Garonn ignored his inquerry for now, "Quickly! Yonega, go put on those clothes!"

The pounding on the door got louder and it sounded like more people were outside now. Garonn was sweating sheets now.

[Yonega]

The Kelvic jumped when the Akalak hurried and slammed the door and the pounding began, her forehead creasing as she stared uneasily at the entrance and the voices shouting to be let in. The man was barring their way; were they a threat? Given his behavior, the woman thought they might be and was about to skirt to a safe corner to hide in or maybe find a point she could climb to to hide just as easily when Tine returned, hollering, and now summoning his own guards.


The whole thing made the changeling's attitude shift; she pulled the mask off and left it on the floor, shooting a nervous glance to the blue man and then back to the putrid shop owner and the clothes he wielded. Garonn wanted to her to dress, but those men did not look particularly endearing. Neither did those who were hollering from outside seem all that...friendly. Her instinct was to flee now, but Garonn had proven true so far, a good enough entity to find leadership from....she probably shouldn't question him now. Yonega opted for the clothing first.

The teen hopped over to the man and reached for the garments, but Tine only pulled them back, snapping at her in reprimand and gesturing broadly at the knight witholding possible patrons (unlikely that that now seemed). She reached again and managed to get a handful of shirt this time, yanking it from the owners hands and tugging it quickly over her head. She backpedalled from owner and his guards alike as she did this, narrowly avoiding getting a fistful of her own raven hair grabbed by one. She loosed a squawk and ducked under a shelving unit to hurry back to Garonn.

"What can I do? I can't shift Garonn; are we trapped? Should I hide? The ugly man looks pretty unhappy." She looked at the crack beneath the door and then back to Tine and his own pair of protection, then up to Garonn once more, looking for guidance.

[Imass]

The Knight watched as the kelvic hopped over to the old merchant and struggled for the clothes. Tensions were rising and they needed to leave the scene as soon as possible. Tine's guards made their presence known by smacking cudgels and moving towards the kelvic. Yonega struggled for a moment, but she finally was able to yank some clothing from him. Narrowly avoiding the guards she rushed to Garonn's side squawking. Still barring the door with his body weight, the knight reached into his pocket and grabbed three gold coins and threw them across the room at Tine.

"Tine, that should be more than enough for the tunic and a mask! Yonega grab one of those masks and don't take it off until I tell you -- we are leaving now Tine so call off your goons" The warrior didn't want anyone in the crowd remembering her face, that would be far too dangerous. The whole scene in the shop was hectic and heated, but what was about to come from the people outside would be hell compared to this. Once Yonega was ready, the Knight would put the hilt of his dagger into her palm and draw his own sword.

"We are coming out, so back the petch up or I'll kill you," The Knight said a second before opening the door...